Lee Ha-nui
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born | Lee Ha-nui March 2, 1983 Seoul, South Korea |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Seoul National University |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 51 kg (110 lb) |
| Hair color | black |
| Eye color | brown |
| Title(s) | Miss Korea 2006 Miss Universe 2007 (3rd runner up) |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss Korea 2006 (winner) Miss Universe 2007 |
Lee Ha-nui (Hangul: 이하늬,[1] born March 2, 1983), better known as Honey Lee in the Western media, is a South Korean beauty pageant titleholder, classical musician, gayageum player, and actress. She represented her country at the Miss Universe 2007 pageant in Mexico City.
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[edit] Background
Lee is the middle child of two daughters and one son. Her father was a high-ranking official with the National Intelligence Service.[2]
Her mother is a Ph.D in Korean Music History and is a professor at Ewha Womans University, has exclusive performances, leads a Gayagum Concert group, and was designated the title of Human Cultural Asset No. 23 in Korea due to her superb musical skills.[3] She is also a music director of Gimhae City Gayageum Orchestra, trustee of the Yegahoe Corporation, and visiting scholar at New York University in 2008 to 2009.
Lee's older sister also graduated with a degree in Korean traditional music from Seoul National University. She has released three albums since 2005 ― "The Song of String," "In the Green Cafe?" and "Blossom." She is a member of the KBS Orchestra of Traditional Korean Music and has received the President's Award from Korea's National Classical Music Institute. Currently a doctoral student in Korean classical music at Seoul National University, she has performed at such venues as Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, KBS Hall, the University of California, Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall.
Lee, like her mother and older sister, is also a professional gayageum player, and was named a gayageum prodigy by the Kumho Art Center, the most prestigious musical foundation in Korea. She has released 4 CDs and played in more than 25 countries worldwide, including concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City.[4] She has been involved in volunteer work for UNICEF, Compassion, World Vision and is the Goodwill Ambassador for Beautiful Mind Charity and Korea Green Foundation.[5] She also holds a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo, is a scuba diver, and a competitive skier.[4]
[edit] Miss Korea 2006 and Educational Background
Lee competed in the 50th Miss Korea pageant as Miss Seoul, which she won. She got her bacholor's degree from the prestigious Seoul National University, with high honors, after taking up Korean traditional music.[6] She received her masters degree from the same university.[7]
[edit] Miss Universe 2007
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Before the pageant finals, Lee was a frontrunner on many pageant sites, one of the early favorites among the 77 participants, impressing judges with her outstanding beauty and brains plus diverse talents. For the portion in which all the contestants enter clad in national costumes, Lee wore the female hanbok, reminiscent of the style of the recent 2006 KBS drama Hwang Jin-i. She was also carrying a janggu with her when she wore her costume. Her question in the Question and Answer portion was asked by James Kyson Lee, who is also Korean. Favored by numerous pageant sites as a finalist and potential to become Korea's Miss Universe. Lee missed out on the title when her interpreter did a poor job of translating her final question. Many believe the meaning of Honey’s answer was indeed grammatically changed from a humanitarian to a gold digger as stated having a fat endless wallet. She finished in the top 5 as 3rd runner-up. She ended Korea's nineteen-year drought in the Miss Universe Finals as a Finalist. The last Miss Korea to be a finalist in Miss Universe was Jang Yun-jeong, winning 1st runner-up in 1988. Being the huge favorite of countless people during her competition at the Miss Universe Pageant in 2007, Honey Lee became the 10th Miss Grand Slam of the year from the notable website called Global Beauties. She was quoted as the winner of all rounds.
Through an evaluation of 100 top contestants who participated in the world’s five leading beauty pageants — Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth, and Miss Tourism Queen International, she was selected by Global Beauties as the Miss Grand Slam 2007 and garnered the following awards: Face of the Universe, Best in Evening Gown, Best in National Costume and Best in Interview.
[edit] Post-Miss Universe
Lee Ha-nui co-hosted Real Time TV Entertainment, on the national TV network SBS, a 12-year-old show focusing on show business, beginning July 18.[8] She is now an endorsed model for Tommy Hilfiger Korea[9] and DAKS and Vogue.[10]
In addition to her numerous projects, Lee is the new face of two of the world's famous brands. With a largely lucrative contract, Lee's tresses are now famously synonymous with Loreal’s newest hair products and is the new face of skin care brand Neutrogena Deep Clean products. She has been advertising for a series of SK Telecom's campaign for CF[11] and prints.[12] CT&T entrusted her as public affairs person.[13] In April 2009, Honey Lee and famous actor Lee Min Ho of Boys Over Flowers were chosen by Pepsi to model for their new zero-calorie soda drink called Pepsi Nex.
On August 3, 2008, she made her musical debut in the musical Polaroid alongside Shinhwa member Andy Lee. Honey Lee garnered a lot of attention as she starred in the law drama series "The Partner", which aired on KBS 2TV, as a femme fatale attorney, which is a bit of a departure from her pretty, smiley image. She also made her second stage lead role as Elle Woods in the Korean production of Legally Blonde: the Musical, alternating with Jessica Jung from the popular Korean girl group Girls' Generation and veteran musical actress Kim Ji-woo. The production opened on November 14, 2009 at Seoul Samsung-dong CoEX Atrium, marking the country's first production of the show. In January 2010, she played in MBC TV drama Pasta as celebrity chef Oh Sae-young.
She is close friends with famous actress Kim Tae Hee and called herself "Kim Tae Hee's Bodyguard" when they were studying in the prestigious Seoul National University[14]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] TV series
- 2011: "Indomitable Daughters-in-Law"
- 2010: Pasta (MBC)
- 2009: Partner (TV serie) (KBS 2TV)
[edit] Musical
- Legally Blonde (korean) (November 14, 2009~March 31, 2010)
- Polaroid[15] (August 3~24,2008)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://search.d.paran.com/cgi-bin/irs.cgi?q=이하늬#
- ^ 미스유니버스4위
- ^ Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea
- ^ a b Miss Universe 2007: KOREA - Interview
- ^ Lee Ha-nui 3rd Runnerup in Miss Universe(The Korea Times)
- ^ 스포츠한국 : 이하늬 '월드미스' 도전은 이미 시작됐다
- ^ [1]
- ^ INSIDE JoongAng Daily
- ^ 이하늬, 힐피거 데님 뮤즈로 선정 : 야후! 미디어 - 세상을 만나는 창
- ^ donga.com[뉴스]-이하늬 ‘신비 소녀’ 변신… “미스코리아는 잊어주세요”
- ^ YouTube - Miss Korea 2006 Lee Ha-nui in SK Telecom ad
- ^ donga.com[뉴스]-이하늬 ‘도도-발랄-섹시’ 3색 변신 눈길
- ^ 영문 홍보관 > 씨티엔티뉴스 Eng > Ms.Korea and Ms. Universe,Lee Ha-nui was entrusted to public affairs person by CT&T
- ^ 일간스포츠
- ^ [2]
[edit] External links
- Lee Ha-nui's Cyworld
- Lee Ha-nui's Twitter Account
- Lee Ha-nui's Profile in Miss Korea Website
- Lee Ha-nui's Miss Universe Page
- Korea Times article on Lee Ha-nui
| Preceded by Kim Ju-hee |
Miss Korea 2007 |
Succeeded by Lee Ji-sun |
